EP3848296A1 - Modular crate - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular box (1) for holding four beverage bottle containers, each beverage bottle container comprising six beverage bottles with a nominal capacity of 0.33 l, two opposing long side walls (2, 3) and two opposing short side walls (4, 5) form a circumferential frame (6) which has a base (7) for supporting beverage bottles.

Description

The invention relates to a modular box for holding four beverage bottle containers, each beverage bottle container comprising six beverage bottles with a nominal capacity of 0.33 l, two long side walls lying opposite one another and two short side walls lying opposite one another forming a circumferential frame that has a base for supporting beverage bottles.

There are known beverage bottle containers in which six beverage bottles are accommodated in an envelope made from a cardboard box. Such beverage bottle containers are referred to as six-packs.

A module box for holding beverage bottle containers is part of the design DE 40 2008 001148-0001 known. Another such module box is described in the document DE 20 2018 104 071 U1 described.

In these conventional module boxes, the bottles are located comparatively deep in the module box, i. H. there is considerable vertical clearance between the top of the bottles and the top of the module box. However, this results in problems when equipping the module box with the beverage bottle containers, since the systems used for this purpose are set up for equipping boxes in which the top edge of the bottles is near the top edge of the boxes. In order to fill module boxes with beverage bottle containers, a corresponding conversion of the system is therefore necessary, which is, however, considered to be disadvantageous.

The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a module box that can be easily filled by a conventional system without having to be modified.

To solve this problem, the invention provides for a module box of the type mentioned at the outset that the floor is arranged at a higher level than the underside of the surrounding frame, the vertical distance between the underside and the floor being 40 mm to 60 mm.

The invention is based on the knowledge that the equipping of a module box with beverage bottle containers can be significantly simplified if the base is in a raised position instead of in the usual lower position. As a result, the upper end of a bottle, as part of a beverage bottle container, is in an elevated position, slightly below the upper edge of the frame of the module box. As a result, the module box can easily be equipped with the beverage bottle containers in a conventional filling or filling system.

The modular box according to the invention is suitable, for example, for beverage bottles according to the Community design EM 002205666-0001 with a nominal capacity of 0.33 l. Such beverage bottles can, for. B. have a height of 188 mm to 205 mm.

In the context of the invention, it is preferred that the vertical distance between the underside of the surrounding frame and the base, which is used to support the beverage bottles, is 50 mm to 54 mm. This area has proven to be particularly favorable and enables the module box to be loaded without problems.

The modular box according to the invention is characterized in that side surfaces and the underside of the frame and the underside of the floor delimit a coherent free space. In contrast, with conventional module boxes there is no free space or only a minimal free space, which is usually divided by several profile sections on which the conventional module box is supported.

Above those forming the bottom

In a conventional modular box, the beverage bottles are arranged in profile sections, which are thus in a deep position.

In the case of the modular box according to the invention, it is preferred that a longitudinal partition wall is formed parallel to the opposite long side walls. The compartment longitudinal wall divides the interior of the module box into two compartments and makes it easier to position the beverage bottle containers, so that two beverage bottle containers can be inserted into one compartment.

The base of the module box according to the invention can be designed as a lattice structure having rings, the rings being connected to one another by longitudinal and transverse webs. The modular box according to the invention is characterized by a particularly low weight and low material requirements.

The lattice structure forming the base preferably has undulating webs running parallel to the long side walls. The wave-shaped webs are preferably arranged in the same plane as the rings, so that the beverage bottles are supported both on the rings and on the wave-shaped webs.

It is also within the scope of the invention that two rows of quills extending upward from the floor are formed within the frame of the module box. Each of the two rows preferably has five quills arranged next to one another. The quills are arranged in such a way that when a beverage bottle container is inserted, they reach through its openings. When beverage bottles are inserted into the module box, they are positioned by the quills.

A circumferential surface of a quill of the module box according to the invention is preferably formed from four concave surfaces, which is thus adapted to the outer contour of the beverage bottles.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht der längeren Seite eines erfindungsgemäßen Modulkastens;

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht der kürzeren Seite des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Modulkastens;

Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht des in Fig.1 gezeigten Modulkastens;

Fig. 4

eine entlang der Linie B-B von Fig. 3 geschnittene Ansicht des Modulkastens und

Fig. 5

eine entlang der Linie A-A von Fig. 3 geschnittene Ansicht des Modulkastens.

The invention is explained below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematic representations and show:

Fig. 1

a side view of the longer side of a module box according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a side view of the shorter side of the in Fig. 1 module box shown;

Fig. 3

a top view of the in Fig. 1 module box shown;

Fig. 4

one along the line BB of Fig. 3 sectional view of the module box and

Fig. 5

one along line AA of Fig. 3 sectional view of the module box.

The drawings show a module box 1 for receiving four beverage bottle containers (not shown), each beverage bottle container comprising six beverage bottles with a nominal capacity of 0.33 l. It can be drinks bottles with a shape according to the Community design EM 002205666-0001.

Referring to the Figs. 1 to 3 the module box 1 has two opposing long side walls 2, 3 and two opposing short side walls 4, 5 which form a circumferential frame 6. In the long side walls 2, 3 and the short side walls 4, 5 openings are formed through which the module box 1 can be gripped.

The lower end of the frame 6 is designed as a rectangular grid which has struts running along the side walls 2, 3, 4, 5 and a plurality of cross struts running transversely thereto.

In Fig. 4 it can be seen that the frame 6 has a base 7 for supporting beverage bottles, which is arranged in an elevated manner with respect to the underside of the surrounding frame 6. The vertical distance between the underside of the frame 6 and the floor can be between 40 mm and 60 mm, preferably 50 mm to 54 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical distance is approximately 52 mm. It is therefore essential that the base 7 is arranged considerably higher than the underside of the surrounding frame 6.

In Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 a drinks bottle 8 which is inserted into the module box 1 is shown schematically. In Fig. 5 it can be seen that the beverage bottle 8 is supported on the raised floor 7 and its upper edge extends into the vicinity of the upper edge of the surrounding frame 6. However, the beverage bottle 8 is located completely within the contour of the module box 1 and is thus arranged in a protected manner.

A partition longitudinal wall 9 is formed parallel to the two opposite long side walls 2. The compartment longitudinal wall 9 divides the module box 1 into two compartments, each of which is designed to accommodate two beverage bottle containers.

In the top view of Fig. 3 it can be seen that the base 7 is designed as a lattice structure which consists of rings 10 which are connected to one another by longitudinal webs 11 and transverse webs 12. In addition, wave-shaped webs 13 are provided on both sides of the longitudinal wall wall 9.

The bottom 7 is connected to the surrounding frame 6 on all four sides via reinforcing ribs 15. The top of the reinforcement ribs 15 is designed to be flush with the surface of the base 7. At the bottom of the

Reinforcing ribs 15 enlarge their cross-section downwards. The underside of a reinforcing rib 15, starting from a ring 10, initially runs horizontally outwards and then downwards until it ends at the frame 6 at an acute angle.

The module box 1 has two rows of quills 14 which extend upwards from the base 7. Each quill 14 has a circumferential surface which is formed by four concave surfaces. The radius of the curvature of the concave surfaces corresponds approximately to the radius of the rings 10. Each quill 14 has a roof surface on which a central opening is provided.

In Fig. 3 it can be seen that each compartment has five quills 14 arranged next to one another, each compartment being able to accommodate two beverage bottle containers.

List of reference symbols

1

Module box

2

Side wall

3

Side wall

4th

Side wall

5

Side wall

6th

frame

7th

ground

8th

Beverage bottle

9

Partition longitudinal wall

10

ring

11

Longitudinal web

12th

Crossbar

13th

wavy web

14th

Quill

15th

Reinforcement rib

Claims (10)

Module box (1) for holding four beverage bottle containers, each beverage bottle container comprising six beverage bottles with a nominal capacity of 0.33 l, with two opposing long side walls (2, 3) and two opposing short side walls (4, 5 ) form a circumferential frame (6) which has a base (7) for supporting beverage bottles, characterized in that the base (7) is arranged in an elevated position relative to the underside of the circumferential frame (6), the vertical distance between the underside and the bottom is 40 mm to 60 mm. Module box according to claim 1, wherein the vertical distance is approximately 50 mm to 54 mm, preferably 52 mm. Module box according to Claim 1 or 2, the side surfaces (2, 3, 4, 5) and the underside of the frame (6) and the underside of the base (7) delimiting a contiguous free space. Module box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a longitudinal partition wall (9) is formed parallel to the opposite long side walls (2, 3, 4, 5). Module box according to Claim 4, two compartments being formed by the longitudinal wall wall (9) and each compartment being designed to accommodate two beverage bottle containers. Module box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the base (7) is designed as a lattice structure which has rings (10) and which are connected to one another by longitudinal webs (11) and transverse webs (12). Module box according to Claim 6, the lattice structure having undulating webs (13) running parallel to the long side walls (2, 3). Module box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein two rows of quills (14) extending upwards from the base (7) are formed within the frame (6). Module box according to claim 8, wherein each row has five quills (14). Module box according to claim 8 or 9, wherein a peripheral surface of a quill (14) is formed from four concave surfaces.

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